Basket



l Dec.l15, 1.936. "w, F. PATTEN l 2,064,493

BASKET original Filed oct. 19, 1952 Patented Dec. 15, 1936 to Patten Package Company, Inc.,

Calypso,

Continuation of application Serial No. 638,607,

October 19, 1932.

This application February 14, 1935, Serial No. 6,597

8 Claims.

This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 638,607, led October 19, 1932, for Baskets.

This invention relates to baskets particularly adapted for the packing of fruit; and more particularly, to means for securing the cover to the basket.

It is customary to make the tops of baskets of this type of thin strips of flexible material laid across each other to form a lattice effect, with a hoop extending around the under side and a slat passing across and beyond the extremity of the top adapted to nt under wire handles extending up from the basket. This leaves the opposite sides of the basket unsecured. and permits considerable play so that the hoop extending around the top may press into the apples and injure them. Apples are sold in this country largely by the color exposed in the topy layer and the evenness of the pack, so that to have the surface injured detracts from the value of the apples. Further, Where the ring packed method is employed, it is usual to pack the apples with a contour, so that the center of the fruit will be the highest point. This necessitates the use of a. convex top.

Custom demands that apples shipped to Europe have a flat instead of an oval pack, and therefore, a flat top is used instead of the convex top. In connection with the side fastening means, it is old to have a flexible metallic member fastened to the body of the basket and extending beyond the open end thereof, and a second flexible member secured to the upper surface of the cover and anchored at a substantial distance from the edge with a loop, the bight of which,A extends beyond the edge of the cover in position to receive the flexible member secured to the body member.

This latter structure is illustrated by the patent to Leigh, No, 1,596,054. This structure, however, is open to certain objections: First, the bight that extends beyond the edge of the basket is unsupported and does not present a rigid support; second, it is subject to being bent; third, since they extend on both sides beyond the edge of the top they occupy valuable space, particularly where the baskets are shipped by the carload; fourth, being unsupported, the bights have a tendency to break oif; and fth, since the slat extending across the basket top must be inserted under the loops before the sides are fastened down, the flexible member secured to the body of the basket often misses the loop secured to the top and the edges of the top must be bent up until the body resilient member can be inserted in the bight. This is particularly difficult where the loop on the basket top extends out over the edge of the basket, since the distance to be cleared is that much greater.

One of the prime objects of my invention is to provide a basket which may be utilized for either an oval or flat pack, and at the same time, the top will be held securely in position against side slippage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fruit basket with projections spaced apart along the top edge thereof to support any cover therefore at a sufcient distance above said top edge to prevent crushing contact with the contents of the basket.

Another object is to provide securing means that will overcome the objections above enumerated.

Other objects will be disclosed in the speciiication and drawing forming a part of this application.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective of the basket with top in place;

Figure 2 isa vertical section taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan of a modified form of basket top and Figure 4 is a detailed showing of the top fastening member r-emoved from the top.

Referring to the drawing, in which similar parts are designated with like numerals:

Numeral 5 designates a basket of the type usually used in packing fruit having sides G composed of staves 'l and being held in place by a hoop 8. Projections 9 extend above the hoop 8 so that the cover il is at all times held away from crushing contact with the fruit or contents of the basket regardless of the pack. The space i2 between the projections 9 gives added ventilation to the surface of the apples. Wire loops t3 extend up from the hoop 8 to receive a slat lll to hold the cover ll in position.

Oppositely disposed to the loops i3 are ilexible members I5 secured to the inside of the basket 5, the ends i6 extending through the basket 5 and hoop 8 being clinched on the outside of the hoop 8. U-shaped indents or notches il are formed in the cover H of the basket 5 and oppositely disposed to the lexible members l5. Anchored at a distance from the edge of the top l! are U- shaped securing members i8, the bight i9 of said members lying across said U-shaped indents il, but spaced inwardly from the periphery of the cover l l. The legs 26 of the U-shaped members I8 are spaced from each other a sufficient distance to straddle the U-shaped indents Il. This affords a support ior the U-shaped securing members I3, except at the point where the bight extends across the indents I'I, and thus affords a very strong and substantial construction.

Further, there is no projecting bight to be knocked ofi or catch in obstructions and to oc-` cupy valuable space. In case either of the members I should extend outside of the securing members I8 after the cover II has been secured in place by way of slot I4, the edge of the cover I I opposite the securing means may be raised and the flexible member I5 inserted through the securing member I8.

As actually used, the basket 5 will be packed by one of the approved methods. In the case of the flat pack, they will extend up to top edge of the hoop 8, that being the top of the basket. In the case of an oval pack, the center will extend above the said edge. In either case, a dat top may be utilized without injuring the pack and if a hoop is secured beneath the top, it is likewise spaced from the fruit.

The slat I4 will be slipped under the loops I3, the ilexible members I5 taking the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. The flexible members I5 will then be bent over the bight I9 of each member I8 and the top will be securely held in place against side slippage.

Figure 3 is a inodied form of cover in which a hole I1 is formed instead of the indents. The cover II overlaps the basket 5 so that the hole I'I' will be in line with the flexible members I5. Upon the flexible members I5 being inserted in the opening I'I, the ilexible members will be bent over to secure the cover in position.

What I claim is:

1. A shipping container for fruit or the like, comprising a basket body having a hoop defining an open top, and projections spaced apart along and extending above said top to support a cover out of contact with the contents of said body.

2. A shipping container for fruit or the like, comprising a basket body having a hoop defining an open top, opposite sides of said body having projections extending above said top to support a cover out of crushing contact with the contents of said body.

3. A fruit basket comprising a body having spaced apart projections extending above its top edge, a cover supported by said projections, and means for detachably securing the cover to said body.

4. A shipping container comprising a body having a hoop defining its top edge and a cover therefor having notches formed in the periphery thereof, securing members anchored in said cover and having bights spaced inwardly from the periphery of said cover and lying across said notches and flexible members anchored in said hoop and extending upwardly through said notches inside of said bights and adapted to be bent over said bights to secure said cover in closing position on said body.

5. A shipping container comprising a body, a hoop dening its top edge, and a cover therefor having notches formed in the periphery thereof, projections spaced apart on the top edge of said body to support the cover out of contact with the contents of a filled body, securing members anchored in said cover, and having bights spaced inwardly from the periphery of said cover and lying across said notches, and flexible members anchored in said hoop, and extending upwardly through said notches inside of said bights and adapted to be bent over said bights to secure said cover in closing position on said body.

6. A fruit basket having its sides formed by staves, a hoop extending around said staves, the upper ends of some of said staves being substantially flush with said upper edge of said hoop and forming therewith the top edge of said basket, others of said staves extending above said upper edge to form projections spaced apart along said top edge to support a cover out of contact with the contents of the basket.

7. A fruit basket having its sides formed -by staves, a hoop extending around said staves, the upper ends of some of said staves being substantially ush with said upper edge of said hoop and forming therewith the top edge of said basket, others of said staves extending above said upper edge to form projections spaced apart along said top edge, and a cover supported by said projections.

8. A fruit basket having its sides formed by staves, a hoop extending around said staves, the upper ends of some of said staves being substantially flush with said upper edge of said hoop and forming therewith the top edge of said basket, others of said Staves extending above said upper edge to form projections spaced apart along said top edge, a cover supported by said projections, and means for detachably securing the cover to the body.

WELLINGTON F. PATTEN. 

